Locking device for building panels and the like



March 30, 1965 K. WACHSMANN 3,175,657

LOCKING DEVICE FOR BUILI JING PANELS AND THE LIKE Filed May 5. 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. [Zn/(40 McMswm/wv.

ATTORNEYS.

March 30, 1965 K. WACHSMANN LOCKING DEVICE FOR BUILDING PANELS AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 3, 1961 llllllll llllllllr A f.?////////////////////////fi l mm. Ar

KY B a-r'roRNEYsL March 30, 1965 K. WACHSMANN LOCKING DEVICE FOR BUILDING PANELS AND THE LIKE Filed May 3, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. KONRAD WACHSMAN,

ATTORNEYS,

United States Patent Filed May 3, 1961, Ser. No. 107,585 13 Claims. (Cl. 189-88) This invention relates to a locking device which, although it is adaptable to many uses, is particularly advantageous in connection with a type of building construction involving a grid-like framework having panels attached thereto. Such a building construction is generally disclosed in a copending application, Serial No. 808,659, filed April 24, 1959, in the name of Konrad Wachsmann, now abandoned in view of the filing of the continuationin-part, Serial No. 324,816, filed November 19, 1963 and a typical building panel per se is disclosed in a copending application Serial No. 808,771, filed April 24, 1959, now Patent No. 3,065,831, dated November 27, 1962, in the name of Konrad Wachsmann. This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 808,740 filed April 24, 1959, and now forfeited.

In the type of construction outlined in said copending applications, there is disclosed a grid-like framework having square or rectangular openings into which a series of panels fit. The present invention relates to devices for securing the panels in the framework.

Since the framework described above has thickness, there will generally be panels secured to both sides of the framework. Thus, there will be a number of inner panels and a number of outer panels. These panels may be of any suitable material and may be provided with any desired surface treatment, i.e. they may be stainless steel or aluminum with no surface treatment, or they may have a porcelain enamel surface or they may be painted in desired colors.

In a structure as has been outlined above, it may be desirable from time to time to remove one or more panels for replacement or even rearrangement, and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a locking device such that a panel may be secured in place or removed in a very simple manner and without requiring the use of a skilled mechanic.

If the building is a tall one, it may be necessary at some time to remove an outer panel from the inside of the building so as to make it unnecessary to erect scaffolding on the outside of the building. It is, therefore, another object of the invention to provide a construction whereby an outer panel may be unlocked and removed from the inside of the building, or vice versa.

Other objects include the provision of a locking device which consists of relatively few parts and is substantially maintenance free in operation.

These and other objects of the invention which will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading these specifications or which will be pointed out in more detail hereinafter are accomplished by that construction and ar-. rangement of parts of which the following is an exemplary disclosure.

Reference is made to the drawings forming a part hereof and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the device with parts in cross-section.

FIGURE 2 is a view from the left of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view from the right of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the locking member rotated to locking position.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a grid member with the locking device of the present in- 'ice vention attached thereto and showing the general relationship of panels to the grid and locking structure.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 showin-gthe locking member rotated to locking position.

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 showing the locking member tightened to clamping position.

FIGURE 8 is an elevational view of a tool for operating a locking member.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a grid member showing the mounting means for a pair of locking members.

FIGURE 10 is a longitudinal cross-section through the special bolt used to operate the locking member.

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of a dilferent form of wall construction showing a different embodiment of the locking device. Parts are broken away to show the construction.

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary perspective view with parts broken away showing the locking device in unlocking condition.

FIGURE 13 is a view as seen from the right of FIG- URE 12 showing the device in locking and clamping position.

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 6, showing panels attached to both sides of a grid by two locking members.

Briefly, in the practice of the invention the locking device comprises a bolt and a locking member. The bolt is tubular and is provided on its inside with internal tool engaging configurations which are adapted to be engaged from either end by a correspondingly configured tool to be rotated thereby. The bolt passes, through a mounting plate which constitutes a part of the building grid and has threaded engagement with the locking member. The locking member may occupy a position in which it does not engage the panels to be secured to the grid or it may be rotated approximately to a position in which the locking member does engage the panels to be secured to the grid. Having been turned to locking position rotation of the bolt in the proper direction draws the panels tightly into engagement with the grid so as to clamp them in place. Conversely, rotation of the bolt in the opposite direction frees the locking member from clampmg position and ultimately permits the locking member to return to unlocking position.

In the drawings, two embodiments are disclosed, both of which embody the same basic concept. The structure of FIGURES 1-10 inclusive shows one embodiment while the showing of FIGURES 11-13 discloses a different and simplified embodiment of the locking device.

Referring first to FIGURES l-lO inclusive the locking device comprises in addition to the tubular bolt and the locking member, a spring. The spring is disposed on one side of the plate, and the locking member is mounted on the other side of the plate, and the parts are held in assembly by the bolt passing through the spring, the plate and the locking member, with a retaining ring or other means on the other end of the bolt to hold the parts in assembly. The locking member on the side toward the plate is provided with a pair of curved elevating cams so that when it is rotated in one direction, the cams may ride up the edges of the plate until the locking member occupies a position parallel to the joint between the panels with the spring compressed. The locking member may then be rotated to a position where the cams drop off the plate under the influence of the spring and with the locking member in locking position with its ends engaging the panel or panels, whereupon the locking member may be tightened to clamp the panels to the grid.

Referring now in more detail to FIGURES l-lO of the drawings, the grid upon which the panels are mounted may comprise members 10. These members within each grid module will be provided with the apertures 11 through which the locking member may extend for the purpose of clamping the panels. In the region of the slots 11 there is provided a mounting member for the locking devices. In FIGURE 9, it has been assumed that there will be outer panels and inner panels and the mounting member 12 may therefore comprise a short length of channel iron, or a box-like member, welded or bolted to the member between the slots 11. The portions 12a of the member 12 constitute mounting plates and are provided with apertures to receive the locking device which will be described in more detail hereinafter. It will be clear that these apertures may be slots 12b as in FIGURES 5-7, or holes 120 as in FIGURE 9. In FIGURE 9 there is shown one locking device in position. It will be understood that a similar locking device will be disposed on the other mounting plate 12a of the member 12.

The locking device itself comprises a bolt 13 shown in detail in FIGURE 10. The bolt is provided with a head 14 at one end, is threaded externally substanttially throughout its length as shown, and is provided with the groove 15 for a retaining ring. As clearly shown, the bolt is tubular, having the longitudinal bore 16 and at 17 it is provided with an internal configuration adapted to be engaged by a tool. In the particular embodiment shown, the configuration 17 is hexagonal so that it may be engaged by the hexagonal head 18 of the tool 19 shown in FIGURE 8. The tool is slender in relation to the head 18 so that if inner and outer panels are in place the tool may be passed entirely through the bolt 13 of one locking device and the portion 18 thereof may be engaged in the portion 17 of the other bolt, so that the outer locking device may be operated from the inside without removing the inside panel and vice versa.

A leaf spring 20 having the bent over end portions 21 is provided with a central hole through which the bolt 13 may pass. The locking member itself is indicated generally at 22 and it is provided with the curved cam members 23 symmetrically disposed with respect thereto and each having the gradual rise 23a and the abrupt drop 23b. As clearly seen in the various figures, the parts are assembled with the spring 20 engaging over the ends of the mounting plates 12a of the member 12 so that by virtue of the bent over portions 21 the spring 20 is nonrotatably retained. The bolt 13 passes through the spring 20 and the slot 12b and through the central boss 22a of the member 22 and its parts are held in assembly by means of the retainer ring 24 which engages the groove 15 in the bolt 13.

It will be noted from FIGURES 4, 6 and 7 particularly that the spacing between the curved cams 23 is such that they span the mounting plate 12a. It will also be clear that a compression spring 20a of the helical type may be used in lieu of the leaf spring, as shown in FIGURE 9.

The external threads on the bolt 13 engage internal threads in the boss 22a of the internal locking member 22. From a consideration of FIGURE 5, it will be clear that when the bolt 13 is rotated in a clockwise direction (the bolt having a left-hand thread), the locking member 22 will travel toward the retaining ring 24 and when it abuts thercagainst, further rotation in a clockwise direction has caused the rises 23a to ride up the edges of the plate 12a until the locking member 22 occupies the position shown in FIGURE 5. The spring 20 is compressed when the locking member is in unlocked position.

If now the bolt 13 is further rotated in a clockwise direction, the member 22 turns to the position of FIGURE 6 where the drops 23b of the cams drop off the plate 12a and the spring 20 pulls the locking member downwardly as shown in FIGURE 6.

If the bolt 13 is now rotated in a counterclockwise direction, the drops 23b prevent the locking member 22 from turning and the member 22 is drawn downwardly 4 until it occupies the position of FIGURE 7. This is the locked and clamped position.

For the mounting of panels on the grid, there are provided the pads 30 which may be of some resilient material which can provide a weather seal. The panels indicated generally at have flanges 41 which engage the pads 30 and they also have the fastening flanges 42. It will be clear that when the locking member 22 has been turned to locking position as in FIGURE 6, the locking member 22 is in a position to bear against the flange 42. In the locked and tightened position of FIGURE 7, it

will be observed that by hearing against the flange 42,

the locking device has pulled the panel 40 down so that the flange 41 bears against the pad 30.

It will be understood that the channel members 10 are provided with openings 10a in alignment with the bolts 13 through which the tool 19 may have access to one or the other of the bolts 13. The tool may simply be poked through the pad 30 in order to operate the locking device and after the tool 19 has been withdrawn, the puncture in the pad 30 heals itself. The pads 30 may constitute a part of the framework, or a part of the panels, or both.

In FIGURE 7, additional fragments of panels have been indicated in broken lines to show the positions which they would occupy.

To unlock a panel from the position of FIGURE 7, the bolt 13 is rotated in a clockwise direction until the position of FIGURE 6 is reached whereupon further clockwise rotation turns the member 22 and the cams ride up the edges of the plate 12a to return the locking member to the position of FIGURE 5.

While a retaining ring 24 has been shown to prevent the locking device from becoming unthreaded in use, it will be understood that this may be accomplished in other ways, as for example, by peening over the threads after assembly.

It will be understood that with the device herein described both inside and outside panels may be locked or unlocked by means of the tool 19 from either side of the structure. It will also be clear that by virtue of the slots 12b the entire locking device such as seen in FIGURE 1 may be removed from or asembled to the members 12 by sliding the hooked portions 21 of the spring 20 over the plate 12a while the bolt 13 passes into the slot 12b. This assembly can be performed by unskilled labor in the field or in the shop.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 11-13 inclusive a somewhat simplified version of the invention is shown. Claims which are specific to the locking device of FIG- URES 11-13 inclusive are being prosecuted in a copendlng application in the name of William H. Yake, Serial No. 107,396, filed May 3, 1961. In these figures the grid of the building structure may be in the form of a sort of bar-joist made up of two facing channel elements 50 and 51 such as is disclosed and claimed in the copending apphcation of Robert Blickensderfer, Serial No. 99 545 filed March 30, 1961, now Patent No. 3,122,224, d ated February 25, 1964. In this embodiment the mounting plate 15 constituted of a small channel member 52 which 1s suitably attached as by welding transversely of one of the channel members 50 or 51. It will be understood that if panels are to be secured to both sides of the grid a plate 52 will be secured to the opposite channel members.

The bolt 54 is preferably tubular as described in connection with FIGURES 1-10 inclusive and is provided on its inside with the hex configuration as discussed in connection with FIGURE 10 at 17. It has a reduced diameter portion 54a, and is passed through a hole in the mounting plate 52 with the portion 54a entering the hole 63 in the channel member 51. The hole 63 will accommodate the portion 54a but not the major diameter of the bolt, so that the bolt cannot be pushed through the hole 63. After the bolt is inserted as above described,

a clip element 53 is engaged in a suitable groove in the bolt 54 to prevent the bolt from being pulled back out of the mounting plate. Approximately one-half of the length of the bolt is threaded as at 55 and the threaded portion 55 is in threaded engagement with the locking member 56. In the particular embodiment shown, the locking member 56 is in the form of a sheet metal channel and it is provided with the threaded blocks 57 which may be spot welded or otherwise suitably secured to the member 56. It will be understood that the sheet metal thickness could be too thin in order to provide suflicient threads for eflective clamping action.

The locking member 56 is provided with an abutment or stop 58, which as shown in FIGURE 12 is adapted to abut the mounting plate 52 to limit and prevent further clockwise rotation of the locking member 56.

A typical panel to be secured and clamped to the grid member 51 is indicated generally at 60. The particular structure of the panel member does not form a part of the present invention but it may be of the type disclosed in the copending application in the name of William H. Yake, Serial No. 108,171, filed May 5, 1961.

Thus the panel 60 may have a flange 61 with which the locking device 56 may cooperate and a flange 62 adapted to be clamped against the grid member 51 as best seen in FIGURES l1 and 12.

Assuming a panel 60 to have been placed in the position of FIGURES 11 and 12 and the locking device to be in the position shown in FIGURE 12, the locking and clamping of the panel 60 to the grid member 51 is accomplished as follows: A tool 19 is inserted as shown in FIGURE 13 and turned in a counterclockwise direction. As soon as the bolt 54 is turned counterclockwise, the locking member 56 by its frictional engagement of its threads with the threads 55 will rotate to the position shown in FIGURE 11. Thereupon further counterclockwise rotation of the bolt 54 moves the locking member 56 rearwardly as seen in FIGURES 11 and 12 until it abuts the flange 61 pushing it rearwardly and thereby pulling the flange 62 into tight engagement with the grid member 51. This then represents the locked and clamped condition.

It will be noted that the length of the locking member 56 is such that it abuts the portion 61a at an angle of about 80. This angle may of course be greater or smaller but it must be less than 90 so as to limit counterclockwise rotation of locking member 56. Thus the member 56 may be rotated through about 80 of are from the locking position of FIGURE 11 to the unlocking position of FIGURE 12.

The end of the member 56 is preferably beveled as at 56a to provide maximum contact area between the end of the member 56 and the flange 61.

To unclamp and unlock the device, the bolt 54 is turned in a clockwise direction by means of the tool 19 which withdraws the locking member 56 forwardly and removes it from clamping contact with the flange 61. As soon as the locking member 56 loses contact with the flange 61 further clockwise rotation of the bolt 54 returns the locking member 56 to the position of FIGURE 12 in which it is retained by the abutment 58. It will be noted that in the position of FIGURE 11 the locking member is held in locking position during clamping movement by contact between the end of the member 56 and the portion 61a.

It will be seen that while the device of FIGURES 11-13 is considerably simpler than that of FIGURES 1-10, the basic underlying principles of operation are the same. The specific details of the construction of FIGURES 11-13 are claimed in the copending application referred to above.

It will be clear that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and no intent should be inferred to limit the claims beyond their apparent scope.

What is claimed is:

1. In a building wall construction wherein panels are attached to a grid, a mounting plate constituting a part of said grid and having an aperture, a locking device mounted upon said mounting plate, said locking device comprising a bolt having a head, a locking member and a spring, said bolt passing through said spring and plate and threadedly engaging said locking member, said spring being thus disposed between said bolt head and said plate, means on the end of said bolt opposite said head to prevent the complete unthreading of said bolt, said locking member being rotatable with respect to said plate, said locking member on the side facing said plate having a pair of elevating cams having gradual rises and abrupt drops, spaced apart farther than the width of said plate; whereby, the parts being in unlocked condition, rotation of said bolt in one direction causes the drops of said cams to ride ofi said plate and said locking member to turn to panel engaging position, whereupon rotation of said bolt in the opposite direction draws said locking member toward said plate against the eflort of said spring, to tighten said locking member and draw an engaged panel tightly against said grid, and whereby, the parts being in locked condition, rotation of said bolt in said one direction loosens said locking member until said locking member abuts said preventing means, whereupon further rotation of said bolt in said one direction causes said cams to ride up the edges of said plate, whereby said locking member is returned to the unlocked condition.

2. A locking device in a building wall construction according to claim 1, wherein said spring is a leaf spring having its ends bent over to slidingly engage the ends of said plate so as to hold said spring against rotation with respect to said plate.

3. A locking device in a building wall construction according to claim 1 wherein said spring is a helical compression spring disposed on the opposite side of said plate from said locking member.

4. A locking device in a building wall construction according to claim 1 wherein the aperture in said plate is a transverse open ended slot, with the closed end of said slot defining the operative position of said bolt.

5. A locking device in a building wall construction according to claim 1, wherein the aperture in said plate is a transverse open ended slot, the closed end of said slot defining the operative position of said bolt, and wherein said spring is a leaf spring having its ends bent over to slidingly engage the ends of said plate so as to hold said spring against rotation with respect to said plate, whereby said locking device may be assembled to said plate by sliding the bent over ends of said spring over the ends of said plate with said bolt entering said open ended slot.

6. A locking device in a building wall construction according to claim 1, wherein said bolt is tubular and is provided with an internal tool engaging configuration adapted to be engaged from either end by a correspondingly configured tool to be rotated thereby.

7. A structure according to claim 1, wherein panels are attached to both sides of a grid, wherein said mounting plate is constituted by one arm of a channel element, the other arm of said channel element constituting a second mounting plate, and a second locking device mounted upon said second mounting plate.

8. A structure according to claim 7, wherein the apertures in said mounting plates are aligned with each other.

9. A structure according to claim 8, wherein the apertures in said mounting plates are transverse open ended slots, the closed ends of said slots defining aligned operative positions for said bolts.

10. A structure according to claim 9, wherein said springs are leaf springs having their ends bent over to slidingly engage the ends of said plate so as to hold said springs against rotation with respect to said plates.

11. A structure according to claim 10, wherein said bolts are tubular and are provided with internal tool engaging configurations adapted to be engaged from either end by a correspondingly configured tool to be rotated thereby, the alignment of said bolts permitting said tool to be passed through either of said bolts and engaged with the other, so that either locking device may be actuated from either side of said structure.

12. In a building wall construction wherein panels are attached to both sides of a grid, a mounting plate constituting a part of said grid and having two axially aligned apertures, two locking devices mounted upon said mounting plate, each of said locking devices comprising a bolt and a locking member, said bolts passing through the aligned apertures of said plate respectively, and threadedly engaging said locking members, means holding each of said bolts against axial movement in one direction at least, with respect to said mounting plate, said locking members being rotatable with respect to said mounting plate, between an unlocking position and a locking position approximately but less than 90 apart, and said locking members being movable axially of said bolts respectively upon rotation of the latter between a clamping position and an unclamping position, means to restrain rotation of said locking members in locking position, whereby rotation of either of said bolts in one direction produces axial movement of the respective locking member along said bolt to clamping position, and means to restrain rotation of said locking members in unlocking position whereby rotation of either of said bolts in the other direction produces axial movement of the respective locking member along said bolt to unclamping position.

13. A locking device in a building wall construction according to claim 12, wherein said bolts are tubular and are provided with internal tool engaging configurations adapted to be engaged from either end by a correspondingly configured tool to be rotated thereby, the alignment of said bolts permitting said tool to be passed through either of said bolts and engaged with the other, so that either locking device may be actuated from either side of said structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,955,855 Iobbins Oct. 11, 1960 3,014,565 Puetz Dec. 26, 1961 

1. IN A BUILDING WALL CONSTRUCTION WHEREIN PANELS ARE ATTACHED TO A GRID, A MOUNTING PLATE CONSTITUTING A PART OF SAID GRID AND HAVING AN APERTURE, A LOCKING DEVICE MOUNTED UPON SAID MOUNTING PLATE, SAID LOCKING DEVICE COMPRISING A BOLT HAVING A HEAD, A LOCKING MEMBER AND A SPRING, SAID BOLT PASSING THROUGH SAID SPRING AND PLATE AND THREADEDLY ENGAGING SAID LOCKING MEMBER, SAID SPRING BEING THUS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID BOLT HEAD AND SAID PLATE, MEANS ON THE END OF SAID BOLT OPPOSITE SAID HEAD TO PREVENT THE COMPLETE UNTHREADING OF SAID BOLT, SAID LOCKING MEMBER BEING ROTATABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID PLATE, SAID LOCKING MEMBER ON THE SIDE FACING SAID PLATE HAVING A PAIR OF ELEVATING CAMS HAVING GRADUAL RISES AND ABRUPT DROPS, SPACED APART FARTHER THAN THE WIDTH OF SAID PLATE; WHEREBY, THE PARTS BEING IN UNLOCKED CONDITION, ROTATION OF SAID BOLT IN ONE DIRECION CAUSES THE DROPS OF SAID CAMS TO RIDE OFF SAID PLATE AND SAID LOCKING MEMBER TO TURN TO PANEL ENGAGING POSITION, WHEREUPON ROTATION OF SAID BOLT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION DRAWS SAID LOCKING MEMBER TOWARD SAID PLATE AGAINST THE EFFORT OF SAID SPRING, TO TIGHTEN SAID LOCKING MEMBER AND DRAW AN ENGAGED PANEL TIGHTLY AGAINST SAID GRID, AND WHEREBY, THE PARTS BEING IN LOCKED CONDITION, ROTATION OF SAID BOLT IN SAID ONE DIRECTION LOOSENS SAID LOCKING MEMBER UNTIL SAID LOCKING MEMBER ABUTS SAID PREVENTING MEANS, WHEREUPON FURTHER ROTATION OF SAID BOLT IN SAID ONE DIRECTION CAUSES SAID CAMS TO RIDE UP THE EDGES OF SAID PLATE, WHEREBY SAID LOCKING MEMBER IS RETURNED TO THE UNLOCKED CONDITION. 